Show-case display-tray.



R. A. KLINE.

SHOWCASE DISPLAY TRAY.

APPLICATION man MAR. ls. 1911.

1,289,193. Patented D@.3l,1918.

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vide means whereby RAYMOND A. KLINE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOW-CASE DISPLAY-TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed March 15, 1917. Serial No. 154,920.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, RAYMOND A. KLINE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of anhattan, `county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Show- Case Display-Tray, of which the following isa specification.

This invention is a display tray adapted to rest on top of a show-case to facilitate the exhibition and handling of jewelry, silverware, and other articles.

In the sale of jewelry and various other articles, it is, quite common to remove the articles from the interior of show-cases, safes, etc., and lay them upon the glass tops of such show-cases, for a more close inspection by the prospective purchaser. To obviate the objection of marring the glass tops of the show-cases or the jewelry laid thereupon, as well as to preclude rattling when the articles are moved about, it has been the practice to dispose small pads of felt, velvet, or other loose material, on top of such cases so -that the jewelry, when taken from the case, may be laid upon said pads without noise and without fear of marring either the case or the articles. The loose pads referred to cannot be handled to good yadvantage, and, what is particularly objectionable, they present an unsightly and unattractive appearance 'after they have been used for even a comparatively short time.

Moreover, it is recognized that various articles, particularly jewelry, show up to better advantage on a background of a particular color, while other articleswill be enhanced by their exhibition on `a background of some other appropriate, distinctive color. A fundamental consideration in the sale of articles of this character is the esthetic effect and beauty which the articles present. Accordingly, it is vitally important to prothe various colors best adapted for `this purpose may be expeditiously availed of. It is, moreover, frequently desirable to lift the background from the top of the show-case and tilt vup the same, so that the prospective purchaser may better see the beauty of the article when viewed from a distance, and, yet, without disturbing the relative arrangements of the different articles on the tray. The show-case pads heretofore employed for this purpose have been of a flexible nature, which ren- -as the particular article to be .will be apparent from dered them extremely difficult to handle when lifted from the show-case, particularly when comparatively heavy articles were positioned thereon, said pads becoming bent or curved when so handled, whereby the beauty and effect of the articles, when viewed, as they properly should be, upon a fiat surface. were lost.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, the object of the to provide a show-case display tray which will embody all the advantages, and others, of the prior devices, and be devoid of their disadvantages; moreover, one which will embody a plural'it7 of colors, any one of which may beoemployed as a background, exhibited may require.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display tray having a soft, yieldable surface on which the articles may be placed, butwhich, in its entirety, is of such rigid nature that it may be readily handled, when free from engagement with the showcase, without fear of bending or folding the device, with consequent danger of the articles being displaced and falling therefrom.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, aswell as the advantages thereof,

the hereinafter detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawingI have illustrated' one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining thel limits of the invention.

Figure l is a perspective view of a showcase display tray constructed in accordance with the present invention.

'Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of a certain cushion which is employed, showing the same partly in section and partly in elevation in the interest of clearness. I

Referring to the drawing, A designates a supporting base which may beof any desired shape or contour, but is, preferably, in the form of a rectangular plate, the outer edges of which are beveled or luted to render the same more esthetic in appearance. The upper face of base A is provided with a depression a, which forms a pocket in which may be seated a cushion B, on

present invention 1s which the articles to be exhibited .may be placed without danger of marring the same, and to the exclusion of noise. g

'The construction of cushion vB is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In its preferred form, the cushion B embodies two sheets of cardboard or veneer, C C', which are glued or otherwise adhesively secured together, with the free edges of two lengths of fabric, c c, which are stretched over the outer surfaces of the sheets C C', respectively, interposed between them, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The fabric lengths C C are, preferably, of different colors, so that the opposite faces of the cushion are correspondingly colored, e. g., red and brown.

The cushion is of such dimensions and contour as to readily occupy the depressed seat c of Vt-he base A, 'which serves as a support-therefor. Cushion B fits -loosely into the depression a from which it may be expeditiously removed and replaced, with either side of the cushion' exposed, according t0 the particular color which it is desired to 'employ in displaying articles 0n the tray.

It is'well known that certain articles,such as pearls, diamonds, and platinum, appear to better advantage on a. background of one color than another, as is also the case with gold, silver, cut-glass,etc. Accordingly, the salesman is enabled, through the'use of the display'tray o f'thisinvention, to obtain the more appropriate color by manipulation-of the cushion B as described.

The supporting `of the cushion on the rigid basel A lallows-of ease in handling the tray, without fear of the'buckling or bending of the cushion, with consequent danger Of-spilling the articles therefrom.

ble beyond theedges of the cushion appears as a beveled border and imparts finished andY estheticl appearance lto the tray.

To facilitate the shifting or sliding of thetray over the glass top of a show-case, the base A is, preferably, provided, on its under side, with a supportingbead c, positioned adjacentthcedges of the tray, and of such dimensions as to elevate 'the-,base A a slight distance above the. supportingsurface.- This slight/elevation allows the tray to be more readily lifted from a flat surface, such as a show-case top, since the salesman may insert his finger-tips beneath the edges of the tray to grasp the same, -preparatonv to picking it up.

It will be manifest, fromv the foregoing description of the preferred practical embodiment of the invention, that the-tray is a marked improvement'over thosey makeshifts of the prior art, the deficiencies of whichit is the robject of the invention-.to supply.y A tray results which'maybe used with maximum efficiency in the accomplishment of the resultsdesired, among which are manifest More- Y over, that portion of the base which is visithereon.

over, the tray of this invention is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, durable in use, does notl unduly encumber the show-case, and is, in fact, an ornament thereto.

Aside from the uses referred to, the present invention may be employed with great efficiency as a permanent show-case display tray z'. e., one which is dressed in the morning, usually with novelties, and adapted to remain in such condition throughout the-day on the top of a show-case until the articles are removed therefrom at the close of business. When so employed, as well as employed in the manner hereinbefore described, the elevating 0f the tray base. member A by the supporting bead a above the glass top of the show-case allows the tray to readily slide over the supporting surface with the edges of said tray free from engagement therewith. By this construction dust orlint does not gather on the supportmg surface along the edges of the tray when the-'same is shifted, as wouldW be the case if `the base A rested directly upon the showcase. The edges of the tray-*are thus maintained free lfrom dust and in a. cleanly, neat condition. Y

Moreover, by having the pad B removable itsedges may be readily dusted, anddust cannot accumulate in the cracks adjacent the edges of said pad to produce untidy effects.

Having thus fully described the invention,

what I claim as new,'and desirev to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A show-case display tray for exhibiting jewelry, adapted to rest horizontally' on the bottom of thel show-case, or on the top thereof, embodying a rigid base member, provided in its upper or exposed face with a depressed seat surrounded'by an upper marginal edge beveled-outwardly, a bead positioned on the under side of said base member'and near the periphery thereof for elevatingsaid base member above the supportving surface on which the tray is supported,

whereby the tray maybe readily grasped at its edges, with the fingers beneath the same, and readily `lifted fromY its supporting surface, as well'as moved around thereon, avithout undue friction, in combination with a substantially' 'fiat' cushion loosely (positioned within thesaid depressed seat, said cushion embodying a foundation member having a fabric of one color attached to one face thereof, and a fabric cfa contrasting. color a'ttachedio the other face thereof, whereby 4 'the cushion maybe Vpositioned in theseat with that side of the cushion exposed y.whose color forms themorel harmonizing background for thev jewelry to bev exhibited 2. A show-case display tray for exhibiting jewelry, embodying a rigid base member provided, in its upper face, .with a depressed seat, a substantially flat cushion loosely positioned in said seat, said cushion embodying two sheets of rigid material adhesively secured together in lapping relation, a length of fabric of one color stretched over the exposed face of one of said sheets, and a length of fabric of a distinctly dii'erent color stretched over the exposed Jface oi the other of said sheets, with the edges of the fabric lengths adhesively secured between the inner edges of said sheets, whereby the cushion may be positioned in the seat of the base, and be reversible therein, whereby that side of the cushion which best harmonizes with the jewelry to be exhibited on the cush ion, may be exposed.

3. A show-case display tray for exhibiting Copies of this patent may be obtained for jewelry, adapted to rest horizontally on the bottom of the show-case, or on the top thereof, embodying a rigid base member provided, in its upper face, with a depressed seat of such extent as to provide a border frame on the upper face of said base member, and a substantially fiat cushion, loosely positioned in the depressed seat, with the upper face of the cushion substantially flush with the upper edge of the border frame, A

said cushion being reversible and having its opposite faces, respectively, of pronouncedly dierent colors, whereby the cushion may be positioned avithin the seat-of the base member, with that face thereof color forms the more harmonizing background for the jewelry to be exhibited.

In testimony wvhereof I have signed my name to this specification.

RAYMOND A. KLINE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

exposed whose i 

